Bullying at the University of Newcastle (Australia)

We are working to highlight and stop academic workplace bullying at the University of Newcastle, Australia. We are a group of staff and students who have been bullied for speaking out about misconduct.

Help make a difference –

*answer our survey,

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This will help us gather as much information as possible so that we can put an end to this bullying with its’ decades-long history.

“Systemic bullying, hazing and abuse generally are identified with poor, weak or toxic organizational cultures. Cultures that are toxic have stated ethical values that are espoused but not employed, and other non-ethical values which are operational, dominant, but unstated.

Such cultures thrive when good people are silent, silenced, or pushed out; when bad apples are vocal, retained, promoted, and empowered; and when the neutral majority remain silent in order to survive. Those who are most successful in such a toxic culture are those who have adapted to it, or adopted it as their own”. (McKay, Arnold, Fratzl & Thomas, 2008)

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Calling all New South Wales Members of Parliament

The letter (see previous post) has now also been sent to all the Members of the NSW Parliament.

7 comments:

Dear sendersI refer to your email to all MPs about alleged bullying at the University of Newcastle. This is not in the electorate of Sydney and Clover has no direct role in supervising the university or enforcing good management.Assuming you have already used the university's disputes process, you may wish to take this matter to agencies with the authority and resources to investigate allegations such as those you have raised such as:NSW OmbudsmanNSW Anti-Discrimination BoardAustralian Human Rights CommissionWorkCover.I'm sorry that I'm unable to offer direct action to address your concerns, and hope that these agencies can help.RegardsRoy BishopElectorate Officer for Clover Moore MPIndependent Member for Sydney58 Oxford St, Paddington NSW 2021 AustraliaTelephone 61 2 9360 3053Facsimile 61 2 9331 6963Website: www.clovermoore.com

EXTRACT FROM REPLY TO CLOVER MORE MPAlthough you may not have a direct role in supervising the University and enforcing good management, as an elected member of parliament you have moral role.

You should be aware of Brodie's law that is not enforceable in any state other then Victoria. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE.

Will you become interested in our case if one of your SYDNEY constituents commits suicide from WORKPLACE BULLYING in your electorate? I guess that is what had to happen in Victoria, but I guess the friends and family of Brodie would have liked some support to prevent such an event.

You can bring these issues up in parliament. Your lack of interest in the the problem of WORKPLACE BULLYING in your State is concerning. It concerns us more that INTERNATIONALLY we have had support for our cause but it seems you are using a distance of LESS THAN 100km to say you can not help.

My future work prospects, and aspects of my life and relationships have been destroyed by workplace bullying and harrassment; although found to have 17% whole body impairment as a result of my experience; it does not alter the fact that my life as I knew it, and myself as I knew me, no longer exist. To say that I have been through hell would be an understatement; I live in a nightmare that I have to hope I wake up from - because if I don't, it is not worth living.

Anonymous - I hear so many people saying things like you - so many lives destroyed... Every time I hear this I want to help in some way but I never know how. I too have been bullied and feel I have no power to even help myself, let alone someone else. But please tell your story - at least you will know someone is listening.

I know what is like to have lost everything from bullying and harassment. I wonder if I will ever end. Most days I dread, every morning I wake up I wish I didn't. I hope the people who did this to me still believe the promotions they got for doing it was worth it. I just wish they murdered me rather then then destroy who I was. At least it would be over. I just can not understand how these people can get away with it, over and over agian.

Does no-one in Australia have a conscience? Can these people really just stand by and watch what is happening?Do they not have the guts to do anything? Surely, if you have any shred of conscience, you can find the courage to do something, particularly if you have some sort of power, like members of parliament.What a sad indictment on the so-called mateship of Australian society!